Whether you are a patient or visitor at Sunrise Hospital, we want your experience with us to be as pleasant as possible. We have provided helpful information to help you during your stay or while visiting a patient in the hospital.

Images may be taken of your bodily structures. This can be done with x-rays.

Your pancreas may be tested. This can be done with a pancreatic function test.

Treatment

In some people, the specific underlying condition must be treated in order to reverse the malabsorption. Other conditions cannot always be treated such as cystic fibrosis, short bowel, or pancreatic insufficiency.

Depending on the cause and severity of the malabsorption, you may need to make up for nutritional deficiencies by consuming additional nutrients through foods or supplements. A diet rich in vitamins and minerals along with increased quantities of fat, protein, or carbohydrate may be required. Nutrient supplementation may include folate, iron, and vitamin B12. In some cases, nutrients may be given by IV.

Prevention

Conditions that cause malabsorption need to be recognized and managed. Work with your doctor and follow the recommended treatment plan to decrease malabsorption complications.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Diarrheal diseases—acute and chronic. American College of Gastroenterology website. Available at:
http://patients.gi.org/topics/diarrhea-acute-and-chronic. Updated December 2012. Accessed July 19, 2014.

Overview of malabsorption. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal%5Fdisorders/malabsorption%5Fsyndromes/overview%5Fof%5Fmalabsorption.html. Updated May 2014. Accessed July 19, 2014.